🔗 Share this article

A pair of award-winning New Zealand authors have had their works disqualified from consideration for the nation's prestigious literary award due to the utilization of AI in designing their cover art.

Disqualification Particulars

The author's story compilation "Obligate Carnivore" and the writer's short novel set "Angel Train" were submitted for the Ockham 2026 book awards and its $65,000 New Zealand dollar novel prize in the tenth month, but were disqualified the following month due to new guidelines concerning artificial intelligence use.

The publisher of both titles, Quentin Wilson, explained that the awards organizers amended the guidelines in August, by which time the covers for every entered title would have previously been completed.

“Consequently, it was much too late for publishers to incorporate this new rule into their design plans,” Wilson said.

Writers' Responses

Johnson voiced understanding for the prize administrators, stating she shares serious worries about AI in creative fields, but was disappointed by the decision.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad about it,” she remarked. “This marks my 22nd publication and my fourth short story anthology. These tales … were composed over roughly two decades, making this a particularly significant work for me.”

She added that authors typically have little input in cover design and was did not know AI had been used for her cover, which displays a feline with human teeth.

“I just thought it was a photograph of a real cat and the teeth had been superimposed, but apparently it wasn’t,” Johnson said, noting that unlike more tech-savvy generations, she struggles to recognize AI-generated graphics.

Johnson worried that the public might assume she employed AI to compose her book, which she categorically did not do.

“Rather than discussing my book's themes and inspirations, we're focused on this AI issue, which I despise.”

In a statement, Smither said that the artists devoted hours creating her publication's art, which includes a locomotive and an celestial figure partially hidden by smoke, inspired by artist Marc Chagall's imagery.

“My primary concern is for the designers: their careful, detailed work … is not being respected,” Smither stated.

Award Committee's Position

Nicola Legat, head of the award foundation that oversees the Ockham awards, affirmed the trust takes a strong position on the application of artificial intelligence in books.”

“We do not make such a decision lightly, one that bars the newest works by two of New Zealand's most respected authors from the 2026 prize,” she stated.

“However, the criteria apply to all entrants, regardless of their mana [status], and must be consistently applied to all.”

The decision to amend the AI guidelines was motivated by a aim to protect the creative and intellectual property rights of the country's authors and illustrators, she explained.

“With artificial intelligence advancing, the trust may need to review and refine these criteria in the future.”

Industry Considerations

Wilson pointed out that publishing houses and authors often employ software like Grammarly and Photoshop, which incorporate artificial intelligence, and this situation underscored the pressing need for well-defined guidelines.

“Our industry must collaborate to prevent a recurrence of this scenario.”

Both Smither and Stephanie Johnson have previously served as judges for categories of the Ockham awards, and both stressed that cover designs receive minimal consideration during judging.

“The text itself and its detailed analysis were all that mattered,” Smither said.

The application of AI in creative fields has faced growing examination as the tech progresses, with some groups developing ways to counter its influence.